As many as 50 students were detained during protests at Jamia Millia Islamia on Sunday. Of the 50 students, 35 were released from the Kalkaji police station and 15 from the New Friends Colony police station, a senior police officer said.

On Sunday night, the Delhi Minority Commission (DMC) issued a direction to the SHO of Kalkaji Police Station to release the “injured” Jamia students held there or take them for treatment at a reputed hospital without any delay.  The commission also directed the officer to file a compliance report by 3 pm on Monday. In the order, DMC Chairman Zafarul Islam Khan said failure to implement it will attract appropriate action.

Protesters torched four public buses and two police vehicles as they clashed with the police in New Friends Colony, near Jamia Millia Islamia, during a demonstration against the amended Citizenship Act on Sunday, leaving nearly 60 people including students, cops and firefighters injured.

Police used batons and teargas shells to disperse the violent mob but denied firing at them. However, videos of purported police firing, injured students in the university bathroom as well as footage of them bleeding emerged on the social media.

But Delhi Police refuted reports of any casualty during the clashes. Delhi Police on Sunday alleged that some people who were part of the agitation against the amended citizenship law came prepared for arson and torched vehicles.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Chinmoy Biswal said nearly 1,500 people had begun a protest-march from Jamia university area around 3 pm but police stopped them near New Friends Colony and requested them to return and protest peacefully. 

The protesters tried to block roads despite the force’s request, according to police. “When police pushed protesters back, they resorted to arson and torched two bikes, four DTC buses on Mata Mandir Marg. Protestors started pelting stones on police personnel near Holy Family Hospital,” said another police officer.

“Some groups in the mob came prepared for arson,” he claimed. Anti-social elements involved in the violence are being identified, he said, adding that Delhi Police had urged people to cooperate and maintain peace.

Biswal said six policemen were injured. “Stones were pelted from inside the varsity at police personnel, forcing them to use teargas to disperse the “violent mob,” he added.

Police personnel entered the university campus to only control the situation after protesters indulged in violence near New Friends’ Colony area in south Delhi on Sunday afternoon, they said.

“The campus of Jamia university is very undefined. It is located on both sides of the road. While the violent mob was going towards the university, they were throwing stones from inside. We entered the campus only to check these places from where stones were being pelted,” Biswal said.

Police sources said no involvement of the local AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan has been found in the violence so far. Following the arson on roads, police entered the Jamia university campus, where tension prevailed as several persons were detained for alleged involvement in the violence.

Source: PTI